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Incoming Speaker gets thumbs up to remain as union employee

Incoming Connecticut Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz can continue to be a union employee in his full-time job, state ethics officials have ruled. Republicans had complained that serving as the top leader in the House and being employed with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees could be a conflict, when the House deals with state employee union contracts.

“There is simply nothing in the code – nor in more than 35 years of precedent interpreting it – that would bar Rep. Aresimowicz from serving as speaker while engaging in his pre-existing employment relationship with the union or from taking official action on union matters in the absence of a direct financial impact on himself or his family members,” wrote Brian J. O’Dowd, deputy general counsel for the Office of State Ethics.

A spokesperson for Aresimowicz stated the Berlin state representative sought an opinion from ethics officials, even before Republicans questioned the possible conflict.